NICOLA Sturgeon’s closest aide played a key role in discussions over giving T in the Park state cash, the Scottish Daily Express can reveal.

The First Minister’s chief of staff, Liz Lloyd, was aware that festival chiefs had requested a taxpayer-funded grant to support the event.

An email trail reveals she even offered advice as to how Scottish Government quangos could help to fill “some or all of the apparent gap”.

The revelation came to light as it emerged under-fire Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop failed to check vital financial information before sanctioning the grant.

Last night, political opponents repeated calls for the First Minister to provide answers, saying the public were “rightly furious”.

Ms Sturgeon was dragged into the debacle following the emergence of a chain of emails between Ms Lloyd, Ms Hyslop and other government staff.

The correspondence was sparked by an approach from Alex Salmond’s former aide, Jennifer Dempsie, then working as a project manager for DF Concerts.

SG

Liz Lloyd, Nicola Sturgeon's Chief of Staff

She had planned to stand for the SNP in next year’s Holyrood election but has now withdrawn.

On May 14, Ms Lloyd was sent an email telling her that the festival was seeking state support. After further exchanges, she replied: “If we do offer funding support the most-likely source would be Events Scotland/Visit Scotland – whether for some or all of the apparent gap.”

The public will quite rightly be furious

Liz Smith MSP

She suggested Ms Hyslop check there were “no problems” with T in the Park going ahead and that, if the grant was not possible, the government should “support” organisers in finding other funding.

Ms Hyslop met DF Concerts’ chief, Geoff Ellis, on May 28 and signed off the grant eight days later.

Contrary to Ms Lloyd’s suggestion, the funds came from the government’s major events budgets and were only paid out after the July festival had taken place.

Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith, who wants the grant to be investigated by Audit Scotland, said: “Both Fiona Hyslop and the First Minister must have known that a former aide to Alex Salmond had contacted them about funding.

“This has further increased suspicions that the grant was a done deal because of Ms Dempsie’s close connections to the SNP.”

Calling on Ms Sturgeon to provide “straight answers”, she added: “The public will quite rightly be furious.”

Ms Hyslop insists the funding was appropriate to support the festival’s move from Balado in Kinross-shire to Strathallan Castle in Perthshire.

But yesterday it emerged she had not even read an economic impact statement given to her by DF Concerts before approving the grant.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said it had “no reason” to question the statement’s validity.